Cinch Timed Event Rookie Zane Kilgus Wins Round 3 on Just 36 Hours Notice

When Zane Kilgus received the call to replace K.C. Jones in the 2026 Cinch Timed Event Championship (CTEC) at approximately 8 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4, Kilgus did not hesitate.

The first round of the event was less than 36 hours away, but the call fulfilled a lifelong dream for the young cowboy and he jumped at the opportunity to compete in the "Ironman of Pro Rodeo."

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Although we cannot officially confirm, this is likely the shortest notice a CTEC contestant has had to prepare for one of the most unique and challenging events in rodeo. Taking on five rounds of five events (heading, heeling, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, and steer roping) is both a mental and physical feat.

Kilgus explained in his post-win interview that the day and a half prior to the first round was a whirlwind, as he traveled to Guthrie and finalized arrangements.

Roughly two weeks ago, Kilgus had received a heads-up that he was the next replacement on the list. At that time, he made some calls regarding mounts for certain events, but knew it would likely be a last-minute call, if he received one.

The phone rang and things began coming together.

Kilgus borrowed a head horse from his brother, and the six-year-old has risen to the occasion inside the Lazy E, though the cowboy remarked this is the biggest stage he has ever been on.

In the tie-down roping and heeling, Kilgus is relying on his own first-string mount. A flashy palomino known as Gus, the gelding first came to the Kilgus family as a four-year-old for training. Kilgus convinced Gus' owner to sell him and as they say, the rest was history.

"I think he loves it as much as I do and I'm sure glad he's mine," Kilgus explained in his post-run interview. He went on to describe how Gus has made challenging cattle easier to handle and described him as, "on your team."

In the steer wrestling, Kilgus was able to borrow a mount he had ridden in college rodeo, belonging to Mason Couch.

If this whole story was not crazy enough, Kilgus admitted he had minimal steer roping experience prior to the CTEC. His mount for the event, known as "Popcorn," belongs to Jesse Stipes. Kilgus tied his first steer down on Popcorn on Wednesday night, 24 hours before the first round.

"I had tied about 10 or 15 steers down, but didn't ride this good of a horse before," Kilgus laughed. "It's kinda like roping calves, but a lot different."

The steer roping has been one of Kilgus' strongest events so far and appears to be a natural fit for his skill set.

Kilgus went on to express his gratitude to everyone who has helped make this possible and explained that his approach is to focus on each event as it comes.

Not only did Kilgus claim the Round 3 win in his first-ever CTEC, he has moved into the No. 5 spot overall. We cannot wait to see what the rest of the event holds for this talented cowboy, who is living one of the best stories of the year, so far.